News

We are delighted to open applications for 2019 membership for prospective mentees and mentors. The scheme provides young women with access to skills-based workshops and the opportunity to be mentored by a professional for 12 months. The aim of the PD programme is to promote leadership, personal and professional development.

What we look for in a Mentee

Pink Dynasty candidates generally fit the following description:

Aged 18 or over

Demonstrates a strong level of tenacity and ambition

In full-time education or full-time training

Actively involved in the community via volunteering schemes

Received (or is receiving) financial support from the government or other official entity

What we look for in a Mentor

We are always looking for talented women and men to volunteer as mentors. The ideal mentor fits the following profile:

A minimum 5 years work experience in accounting, banking, communication and media, financial, legal or tech sectors

Passionate about social mobility and the development of young professionals

Willing to devote at least 2 hours per month to contacting the mentee

How to apply

To apply, prospective mentees and mentors must answer the following questions:

I want to join Pink Dynasty because…

What women’s empowerment means to me…

Submission instructions

Upload a 90 second video to YouTube (in private mode) answering the above questions and send along with an updated copy of your CV to hello@pinkdynasty.org

Or

Write an essay (250 words max) answering the above questions and send along with an updated copy of your CV to hello@pinkdynasty.org

Deadline – December 14th, 2018.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a 45 minute interview with select members of the PD Management team and representatives from our partner institutions.

Successful applicants will be informed via email, together with additional information on the upcoming year’s programme. In the event that you are unsuccessful on this occasion, an email, together with some feedback on your application, will also be shared with you.

With the support of the Diane Abbott Foundation, we hosted an event called ‘A Seat and the Table’ in the House of Commons yesterday (November 28). Our goal was to empower young women from marginalised backgrounds to have their voices heard in the place where our country’s policies and laws are debated.

Generally the term “having a seat at the table” is reserved for those who are considered to have both the influence and power to make decisions and effect change.

But there is much more behind coming to the table than simply taking a seat.

During the discussion, we came to the conclusion that “having a seat at the table” is about seizing the opportunity to be heard, becoming the voice for those who are marginalised, and work with those who hold power to make positive changes in society, that benefits all people not just the elite.

Many thanks to our special guests Anna-Maria Ronnqvist (Strong Woman World Champion), Cuppy (International DJ and Philanthropist), and Geraldine Haley (Executive Leadership Coach) for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their stories about the path to leadership in predominantly male environments.

Last but not least, thanks to all the attendees for participating in such an inspiring debate, we truly appreciate your support and hope to see you again at future events!

It goes without saying that Britain has an extreme social mobility problem. Research from the government’s latest social mobility report confirms, “that from the early years through to higher education and the workplace, there is an entrenched and unbroken correlation between social class and success”, State of The Nation – Social Mobility in Great Britain (2017). Unfortunately, the UK’s social mobility problem is even worse for women and individuals from ethnic minority groups. To address the social mobility problem facing women and ethnic minorities in the UK, I founded Pink Dynasty CIC in 2013, with the goal of dismantling the non-educational barriers to elite professions in the UK by empowering, preparing and supporting gifted young women (particularly those from ethnic minority groups) for high-income careers. Please refer any talented young women (from 18-22 years old) who you believe can benefit from mentoring, leadership development, help with finding a job or starting a business, my team and I would love to chat!

We recently conducted a survey to uncover the challenges, needs and wants of the PD Alumni. The results were insightful, 100% of the respondents conveyed a strong desire to be accepted for who they are. Although our members are incredibly bright and confident young women, many (if not all) still struggle with showing their true selves. In a society that praises beauty, accomplishment, and wealth, it seems women will never be good enough unless they appear to have it all. Hiding behind a smile is among the key ways young women combat the pressures of superficiality to discover their passions, pleasures, and purposes.

Here at Pink Dynasty, we believe it is imperative to have honest discussions about anxiety and depression, there are so many people suffering in silence, too afraid to open up about their personal/professional challenges. Accordingly, we are keen to help our members and other young women manage stress, particularly during difficult times.

By providing everyday examples of women managing overwhelming expectations, this opens the door for candid, life-changing conversations about life and inspires young women to be themselves!

To take part in our #BehindMySmile campaign, please email hello@pinkdynasty.org.

It’s no secret that the financial services industry has a poor track record on female representation at the top. And yet there’s a growing recognition that gender diversity can bring a competitive advantage to corporations and investors in the sector as it undergoes massive technological and social change.

In an effort to help break the non-educational barriers to financial services professions, we have teamed up with CassonX, the consulting firm, and Starling Bank, to host an event exploring how women can forge leadership careers in Banking.

Date: Wednesday 27 June 2018

Time: 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Ending at 9pm

Venue: Starling Bank, 3rd Floor, 2 Finsbury Avenue, London EC2M 2PP

The event will be hosted by Anne Boden, Chief Executive of Starling Bank, who was recently named one of the most influential female leaders in the Financial Services and Tech world, for creating a successful mobile-only-bank from scratch.

Proceedings will kick off with an opening presentation from Anne Boden followed by a panel discussion with four special guest speakers, who will discuss their careers, share tips on how to succeed and offer solutions on how to sustain gender balance in the workplace. To close, there will be a networking session for all attendees with refreshments served until 8.45pm for a 9pm finish.

This event is open exclusively to those who operate in a Head of Operations, COO or relevant Recruitment or Diversity focused HR role in the Financial Services world. If you would like to attend, please send an email to james@cassonx.com

Although the end of the year is a perfect time to share our accomplishments in 2017 and outline what lies ahead in 2018, we would rather express our gratitude to our Mentees, Mentors, Partners and Sponsors for their continued support.

Without You, the Pink Dynasty programme would not be successful nor the momentum to grow in the coming year (and years to come).

Therefore, as a sign of our appreciation and to show how much we truly value your contributions, you are cordially invited to our year-end celebration on December 12, straight after the information session.

PSA- Calling all talented and gifted ladies seeking support with their personal, professional and leadership development.

If you (or someone you know) has what it takes to join this league of extraordinary women, please register here for tickets to attend our information session.

What we look for in members:
• Aged 18 or over
• Tenacity and ambition
• In full-time education or full-time training
• Actively involved in the community via volunteering schemes
• Received (or is receiving) financial support from the government or other official entity

Applications for 2018 membership opens from 12pm on December 13, and closes on December 22 at 5pm.

Our partner, Cassonx is seeking to fill two full-time permanent positions with one of the best performing Financial Services Brokers in the City of London. This firm offers free medical cover, gym membership (including a personal trainer) and a generous discretionary bonus for all staff.

Role 1 – Legal, Compliance and Administrative Assistant (£30k)

Operating within a small team the individual must handle day to day administrative/compliance/due diligence issues, provide in-house legal support with regard to standard documentation requirements and to maintain an awareness of and research into future regulatory changes, to assess their relevance and communicate their impact on the business.

The successful candidate will:

Provide support and some research in relation to relevant rules and regulations and to respond to enquiries regarding regulatory matters on a regular basis

Help to identify regulatory change and assist business in implementation plans

Build and maintain the firm’s standard documentation and terms of business library

Draft responses to regulators and exchanges

Some liaison with the FCA

Occasional involvement with HR issues

General administration that is required

Take ownership of various internal projects

Role 2 – Administrative Assistant (£25k)

Operating within a small team, the successful individual must handle day to day administrative queries/ complete and manage standard documentation and maintain system records covering this area of the business.

To be considered for the role you must have:

Good administrative skills (ideally from a Financial or Professional Services background)

Strong attention to detail coupled with IT skills covering the major Microsoft applications

Must be able to deal with senior management

Good communicator and client manner

Ability to work without close supervision, manage tasks and meet deadlines

Tenacity to tackle multi-stage tasks and follow through to completion

Ability to manage own workload and prioritise key projects

Comfortable being responsible for highly confidential information

If you are interested in either one of the vacancies advertised and have the legal right to work in the UK, please send your cv and cover letter to hello@pinkdynasty.org.

“I can’t remember a single time that I was prevented from doing what I wanted because I was a female, either on the rock or in the mountains” ~ Annie Whitehouse

On September 2, the 2016 PD cohort will attend White Spider for an exclusive climbing session.

This will be a great way to take part in fun and adventurous team building in a safe, inclusive and instructed environment. We have a few spaces available, so PD alumni who are interested in attending this session please register ASAP.

Important Information

Please remember to wear clothes that offer comfort and mobility (stretch). You want a loose fit, but not so baggy that your clothes get caught on holds or gear. Yoga clothing works well. Wear something you don’t mind getting chalk on, and something that can withstand abrasion from the textured surfaces on walls and climbing holds. And yes, headscarves are permitted as you can wear it under your safety helmet!

There is no limit to what can be learnt, and often the most rewarding form of education is completely self-taught. Using the wise words of renowned author and professor of biochemistry, Isaac Asimov “Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.”

People who take the time and initiative to pursue knowledge on their own tend to be trail-blazers, entrepreneurial and leaders; key qualities that every good leader should possess.

If you’re interested in learning something new, please visit Future Learn and start exploring the various ways you can develop a critical mindset to navigate our rapidly changing world.

Please note that it is free to join and study any Future Learn course. At the end of the course, learners are offered the opportunity to purchase a certificate. The price includes both a digital and printed version, and VAT or local sales tax. Purchasing one is optional.

A study from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation showed that women with low levels of financial literacy were more likely to take part in costly credit card behaviors than men with a low level of financial literacy. However, there were no differences in behavior between men and women with high financial literacy.

Financial education is a fundamental element of the PD programme, as we believe it is key to improving social mobility, particularly for young women; and together with our partner Experian we will continue to teach PD members (and the wider community) how to budget, spend wisely, and properly use credit.

On June 15th 2016, PD members had the pleasure of listening to the expert opinion of Christine Shields, as she ‘Kept it Real’ on the following topics:

US Election – Should Investors be worried about the next US president?

The empowerment of women in Gulf economies

EU Referendum – Should the UK leave or stay?

Please see below Christine’s notes from the session.

Upcoming US Elections
• The November presidential election promises to be the most acrimonious for many years, possibly ever. The primaries – on both sides – have also touched new lows in their style and mood. Both candidates are seen as being highly divisive and both have high unpopularity ratings, despite being the front-runners in their respective parties.
• The contrasts between them are stark: Hillary Clinton is tarnished by her (and Bill’s) past, albeit that not all the allegations are true, yet she is the most experienced presidential nominee ever. Wealthy businessman Donald Trump is the archetypal anti-establishment contender, who plays well in the ‘redneck’ world, of the less educated, rural and insular part of the US population. But the intolerance his campaign emphasises is worrying, especially in a world as troubled and uncertain as at present.
• How well Trump fares with mainstream voters remains to be seen. Trump’s outsider image has struck a chord – and the tone of Sanders’ campaign suggests that dissatisfaction with the current elite is shared across the political spectrum. Sadly, Hillary’s vast experience is a disadvantage for her in such a climate as she is the classic insider, having been associated with the highest echelons of power for four decades as First Lady, Senator then Obama’s first Secretary of State until 2012.
• Recent events are not helpful, not least the weekend attacks in Orlando which have played to Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda. The ongoing investigation into Hillary’s e-mail security when she was Secretary of State is an unfortunate backdrop for her too, as is the inquiry into the events in Benghazi when the US ambassador was killed in 2012. But her reaction to Orlando demonstrates her greater depth and sense.
• Trump is far from squeaky clean. There are many examples of his malpractice in business: underpaying workers, not paying suppliers and reneging on debt. And although some take comfort in his business success and vast wealth, which they see as a demonstration of his ability to compromise, his continuing aggressive and unrealistic rhetoric is deeply worrying. Indeed, his reaction to Orlando has played very badly so that his poll ratings have fallen back.
• By contrast, Hillary is immensely well qualified and extremely knowledgeable. Her problem is that she is a policy wonk lacking the charisma of her husband or Obama. She has admitted this, positively. Now she needs to play up her warm side to widen her appeal into those Democrats who hitherto have supported Sanders and the more moderate Republicans. Sander’s likely endorsement, even if guarded, may help her there and she is now well ahead in opinion polls. If she energises voters with the prospect of becoming the first female US president, her prospects look assured.
• But the underlying problem is that the economy is under-performing. The recovery since the global financial crisis has been more muted than usual after such a deep downturn. And the legacy of that crisis is a further downer, with consumers and investors alike cautious. In such a climate, there are arguably more losers than winners, and many of those losers fall into the redneck world. With interest rate hikes likely to start soon, they may face further challenges.
• Typically, when there is economic hardship, voters become more insular and intolerant, rather than the opposite. Trump appears appealing to some in that narrative. However, unless he completely transforms, a Trump presidency would be terrifying in an already uncertain world.

Female Empowerment In The Middle East
• Male domination and female repression are part of the culture in the Middle East. Other countries elsewhere in the world with a Muslim majority are much more liberal. Some, especially in South Asia, now have or have had female leaders. Hence, this is not an issue of the Islamic faith, rather a general feature of the culture in the Middle East.
• Clearly, there is much variety across the region. Tunisia is more liberal than Saudi Arabia, Oman more tolerant than Qatar. And Dubai is almost western in some of its attitudes (at times at least) though some of the other emirates in the UAE are less tolerant and much less pro-western.
• Of course, the Middle East is far from alone in dis-empowering women. Japan is nominally equal but few married women there have careers. Korea is similar but less striking. And even in the UK, as recently as the 1960s, married women were required to resign from the civil service.
• The UK’s 20th century history illustrates the advantages of female empowerment. In the early part of the century, many families were large – even within my own family, some of the previous generation had families of up to fourteen children. With the female franchise, the improvement in education standards and the provision of free state education for more years, more women have entered the labour force and have risen to enjoy successful careers in high-skilled roles. Living standards and incomes have increased and the quality of life has been transformed.
• Failing to empower women brings an economic loss, as well as having socio-economic consequences. Education levels tend to be lower, family sizes tend to be larger so quality of life is arguably less good, and aspirations are lower. To the extent that economic growth and opportunities are lower, unemployment levels are higher so that dissatisfaction becomes a greater problem. And given the poor demographics in the Middle East – in some countries under-25s are over 50% of the total population – the situation looks set to worsen into the medium term.
• There are geopolitical consequences of a lack of female empowerment too. Dissatisfied youths can turn into violent protesters who turn against others more privileged. Again, what is needed is greater tolerance and gradual change. There are nascent signs of this with the new reform plans emerging in Saudi Arabia. However, it remains to be seen if the traditional and religious groups will accede to change. Signs so far are not positive.

The Economic Implications Of Brexit
• The 23 June referendum on the UK staying in or leaving the EU is the biggest decision in all our lifetimes. Exercising that vote is essential.
• Apart from anything else, a low turnout and a narrow margin either way could mean that the question is not settled by the vote so that the current debate persists. This would prolong the already heightened levels of uncertainty that are now dragging on sentiment, financial markets and the real economy.
• The impact of Brexit on the economy is unambiguously negative, both in the short and medium term. Longer term, it is less clear as the exact nature of the settlement is critical to how the long term actually looks. One of the biggest areas of uncertainty is the nature of any trade agreement with the EU post-Brexit. As a single market now, it is unlikely that a future deal would be better than what we have now, contrary to the claims of Brexiteers. And since 44% of our trade goes to the EU, substituting for EU sales with exports to the rest of the world would be a stretch. Hence, Brexit’s implications for trade are negative.
• Another key area of uncertainty is the City of London. Currently the entry point by non-EU institutions to mainland Europe, the City is a critical contributor to the UK economy. Withdrawal from the EU would likely induce foreign institutions to relocate elsewhere in Europe, perhaps Ireland, and reduce the influence of the City, with adverse effects for economic growth, investment, employment, incomes and influence. Similarly, foreign investment would be deterred. While existing investment may not relocate immediately, its expansion would be unlikely.
• Of course, cost is another bone of contention. Brexiteers quote it at £350m a week. In fact it is less than half of that after rebates and contributions towards regional development, research and agriculture are offset. Such disregard to the truth surely must cast doubt into the minds of those favouring Brexit. Another area where the truth is ignored is in regulation, where laws imposed by Brussels are cited as impeding British business. In reality, however, few laws are so imposed. Rather, very often, the basic law agreed with Brussels is embellished by Westminster to become even more burdensome. The areas lambasted as being worst for business – including the minimum wage, the apprentice levy, real-time tax administration – are all home-grown and nothing to do with Brussels.
• An especially thorny area is immigration. Here the Brexit campaign has wider resonance, particularly in areas where there are few migrants and less assimilation, in parts of the North for example. Greater pressure on public services is the main gripe, yet much of the pressure is a function of domestic policy choices, such as changes to social care, which has added to pressures on the National Health Service. But rational debate is scarce in this area – and there are questionable nationalistic influences further complicating the picture. As with the previous topics, key here is tolerance and inclusivity.
• The politics of the situation are dire. Though mainly an internal Conservative party split, Euro-scepticism crosses party divides. Labour’s failure to fully engage is lamentable. Equally, Conservative failure to properly engage in Europe is disappointing. Rather than carry other fellow members with us, we have alienated them, which bodes ill for post-Brexit negotiation should the vote go that way. (We may not have sufficient civil servants with such skills anyway.) European Parliamentary waste and inefficiency is a legitimate issue, as is the cost of EU bureaucracy, but that is not the central point. In today’s highly uncertain world, a collective voice is stronger than an isolated one. Brexit would leave the UK isolated. And as wider security concerns escalate, this is critically important.
• That said, the EU is far from perfect. Some reform has been secured but much more is required. Perhaps the best legacy of this referendum would be that the EU itself has a rethink about the push to greater integration which is raising concerns in most of the 28 member states. This is looking more likely as nasty populist movements rise in influence across the region. Such groups often skate over the real picture but appeal to bar-room sentiment, a tactic Brexiteers are increasingly using.
• Referendums generally return a vote for the status quo. It is to be hoped that 23 June sees such an outcome, but opinion polls suggest a close race. As MP Andrew Tyrie says, “Leavers have the simplest points. Remainers have the best arguments”. At root, these are mainly economic: investment, trade, asset prices and government finances would all be adversely affected by Brexit. And as in Trump’s USA, the demographics of the vote suggest that those typically supporting Brexit are older, less educated men, often from the North, with women, the young and the better educated preferring to stay. This says a lot. If the issue is really the domestic economy, voting for Brexit is akin to self-harm – the economy would be weaker. So why do it?

In the run up to the EU referendum (June 23rd), we are pleased to confirm Christine Shields, an experienced economist and public speaker, will be hosting a Q&A session on global economics and politics .

Christine Shields is an independent economic advisor specialising in global macro-economic issues. From 2006 -2013, Christine ran the Country Risk Research function in Standard Chartered Bank where she focused on political and economic risk, writing and presenting to clients, investors and the bank’s senior management. Prior to Standard Chartered, Christine worked in Royal Bank of Scotland for many years, initially analysing UK, Japanese, US, and European economic trends, before moving exclusively into emerging markets risk analysis as RBS grew. She has worked in a markets environment, in research, in corporate banking, and in the risk function, managing RBS’s country risk exposures as well as its sovereign policy and limits setting.

Christine is a member of the advisory board to the Jardine Lloyd Thompson World Risk Review, a bespoke model determining the political and economic risk in some 200 countries that is used across the insurance world. The model covers nine specific perils,encompassing political violence, a country’s trading environment and its investment environment.

Christine has travelled extensively, especially in Asia, and is a regular conference speaker and commentator on country risk issues. Christine’s degrees, BSc (Econ) and MSc (Econ), are both from the LSE, where she studied after working in UK government service as a VAT inspector and a drugs investigator, before running her own accounts consultancy.

Please join us on Wednesday June 15th from 4;30pm, to hear Christine’s expert opinion on the following topicsEU Referendum – Should the UK leave or stay?

US election – Should Investors be worried about the next US president?

Starting a new career or establishing your own business can be a real journey in faith.

In many ways, starting your own business will be the biggest a leap of faith you’ll ever take, as you are putting yourself, your money, and future on the line, for a dream.

From listening to PD key note speakers, the common thread in their inspiring stories relate to perseverance and faith. The source of each speaker’s strength varies from friends and family, to belief in God. We want to encourage all those looking to start a new business or career to begin their journey by walking in faith every day.

We pray that God grants you the inspiration to move forward in the right direction, and provide you with the necessary skills and resources to succeed in your new venture or career. May The Lord help you to remain focused on your goals, and bless you abundantly, so that you are in a comfortable position to bless others (Amen).

Take a leap of faith today, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised where you’ll be tomorrow.

This month we are delighted to add award winning model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Nana Afua Antwi to our roster of key note speakers.

Although modelling is one of her best assets, Nana has a deep passion for charity work. Back in May 2011, Nana became an Ambassador for Save the Children International and helped organise a fashion show to raise money for children from less privileged backgrounds. Likewise, in May 2012, Nana launched her own charity called Akosua Odei Foundation (AOF) after her late Mother. AOF’s main objective is to empower young women, and enhance their life-skills via local apprenticeship schemes that serve rural communities in Ghana. Nana’s foundation also raises awareness on women’s health issues such as Endometriosis and Fibroids, conditions that are typically common among African women. Here in London, Nana is a great supporter of Pink Dynasty and the Stephen Lawrence National Charity Campaign.

Last year, Nana was nominated for two awards at the Women for Africa Awards in May 2015, for Inspirational Woman of the Year and Fashion Designer of the Year, for her clothing line ‘Adopted Culture’.

If you are interested in meeting Nana in person, please attend our ‘Creating a Powerful Personal Brand’ workshop, taking place on May 27th from 5pm. To register, email hello@pinkdynasty.org by May 20th.

Sisters may be women who grew up under the same roof as you or they may be great friends you meet during different stages of your life.

For Pink Dynasty members, sisterhood means having a friend who will be there for the long haul, to support you in your transition into womanhood . PD members create and share memories that nobody else can connect to in quite that special way. PD members are sisters who inspire and lift each other up.

Here are a few beautiful quotes about sisterhood to remind you just how special sisters truly are!

“Sisters touch your heart in ways no other could. Sisters share their hopes, their fears, their love, everything they have. Real friendship springs from their special bonds” – Carrie Bagwel

“Sisterhood is many things. It’s a warn smile on a cold and rainy day, a friendly hug, a cheerful hello… It’s all that a good and lasting friendship is, only better. It’s treasured. It’s sacred. It’s knowing that there will always be someone there for you. It’s dreams shared, and goals achieved. It’s counting on others and being counted on. It is real” – Unknown

“Sisters are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly” -Unknown

To date, the Pink Dynasty Management Team has helped several of our members secure permanent employment, we are committed to continue this support as PD grows and attracts further engagement from top London businesses. We are pleased to announce that we will be launching a post-programme support scheme for our ‘Rising Stars’ who successfully completed the 1- year Mentoring Programme, and displayed a great level of commitment and enthusiasm to the process.

Pink Dynasty Rising Stars receive:

Personalised careers advice from senior executives who will provide support with expediting our members’ career trajectory

Job referrals to FTSE 100 Companies and Leading Non-Profit Organisations

If you are interested in joining the PD Rising Stars scheme, please apply by sending your latest CV to hello@pinkdynasty.org. Please note that the overall success of this post-programme support also depends on you, so we ask members to commit and stay committed to the process, remember the more you put in, the more you get out!

The PD Management Team strongly believes that empowering young women is not only the right thing to do but smart economics . So in partnership with Experian, we provide our members with great money saving tips and personal financial advice. To to learn how to save money with ease follow our 365 Day Money Challenge.

Pink Dynasty Money Challenge

Start saving your spare change on a daily basis, and by the end of the year you’ll add real value to your pockets.
Day 1: Save £0.01
Day 2: Save £0.02
Day 100: Save £1.00
Day 365: Save £3.65
By December 31st 2016 you will have saved £667.95 as a result of saving your spare change.

It is okay to set goals if you honestly think you can push yourself, but don’t start 2016 making crazy resolutions and setting sky-high plans. As planning too much can become overwhelming and eventually cause you to give up altogether. Instead of making a lengthy list of goals, list down your key strengths and find proactive ways of harnessing your talents. Doing so will significantly increase your chances of achieving professional success and personal growth!

All in all, humbly live every day doing what you love and can do best, and in due time you will find life taking you places you never dreamed possible.

To RSVP please email sarah-jane@pinkdynasty.org , please note that due to limited capacity we can only allocate space to individuals who register before the close of business (5pm) on Wednesday December 9th.

On Friday November 6, 2015, the Pink Dynasty committee will be hosting an open evening for prospective mentors and mentees. To find out how you can reserve a seat for this event or receive further information on how you can join this league of extraordinary women please email hello@pinkdynasty.org. Please note that due to limited capacity we can only allocate space to individuals who register before the close of business (5pm) on Wednesday November 4th.

“All my life I’ve done what men told me. Well I can’t have that anymore!” this is one of the many powerful statements uttered by Maud Watts, a character played by the amazingly talented Carey Mulligan in the movie (appropriately) titled Suffragette.

Review by Adeola Onasanwo , Founder and Managing Director

This is a riveting film that successfully depicts the incredible long battle women fought to gain the right to vote in the UK. I took my teenage sister (Emma) to watch it over weekend and we were both captivated by how well the actors portrayed the bravery of the ordinary working class women whose passion to achieve the right to vote led to the most important moments in British history. To date, Suffragette is the best movie I’ve seen so far this year and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is an advocate for women empowerment and gender equality.

Please check out the Suffragette Movie and watch in awe as Maud evolves from an unconscious Suffragette into a determined freedom fighter.

The Pink Dynasty Committee and Management team works incredibly hard to deliver a great programme but we couldn’t do it alone! Thanks to all the amazing companies who have supported us so far…

The PD Committee, alumni and current members would like to thank all those that have supported the programme from its inception to the current day. The success of our leadership and development programme is down to the generosity of countless individuals who have donated their time, skills, resources and energy. We too are grateful for the opportunities to work with a diverse range of people in our ambition to develop the next generation of future female leaders.

Standard Chartered Bank – A leading FTSE 100 listed international bank offering a suite of banking services in some of the world’s most dynamic markets including Asia, African and the Middle East. Standard Chartered is a key corporate sponsor of the programme and offers a two-week internship to each mentee and their staff volunteers their time to act as mentors and motivational speakers.

Experian – A FTSE 100 listed global information services group whose principal lines of business is credit services, marketing services, decision analytics and consumer services. The company runs a one day workshop for each cohort outlining the principles of personal financial management as well as de-mystifying credit scores. They also donate one years free membership to each mentee.

Regency Creative – A high-end web page design and branding company. Their services span from the development of custom websites, to tailored brands and graphics and ecommerce platforms. The team were responsible for building our amazing Pink Dynasty webpage.

Identica – Identica is a bespoke brand strategy and design agency. The team of design, strategy, and production specialists, work together to create, restore and evolve iconic brands. The team worked closely with Pink Dynasty to create our unique brand and visual identity that we feel really embodies the ethos and heart of our programme.

World Television – A leading international video communications agency catering creating original content across the globe and delivering to multiple audiences in multiple languages in multiple locations. They offer webcasting and streaming services, internal video communications and Video event management and content production services. The team supported the PD programme by donating their services to help us to create our fantastic promotional video.

And last but not least, we want to thank all our Mentors who volunteer their time to support our members to achieve their personal and professional goals. Without your continued support, we would never be able to make the PD programme successful, so thank you. Cheers!

If you are interested in getting involved and supporting Pink Dynasty in any way, either by offering your time, skills or resources, please get in touch.

The issue of gender equality, opportunities to perceptions, is fundamental to the future of business and enterprise both in the UK and around the world. Be sure to follow us as we post compelling industry articles and reports on this subject regularly.

A recent report published by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) recently joined the increasing number of voices from across the country and world for bolder actions to be taken to drive the change in female representation in business all the way up to the Board. Among its many recommendations, Tuesday’s report by the LSE Commission of Gender Inequality and Power suggests that “the burden of the argument should now shift from the under-representation of women to the unjustifiable over-representation of men”. They suggest that the first step in achieving this is for the imposition of quotas for senior positions in range of sectors including politics, economy, law, media, culture and communications. Do you think that legal quotas on our companies are the best way to achieve equality in the work place? Do you think the focus should shift from “too few women” to “too many men”? Share your thoughts with friends and get the conversation started!

The Pink Dynasty programme is designed to empower gifted and talented young women to succeed in professions that are typically dominated by men. Our internship scheme ensures PD members are fully equipped to succeed in the corporate world.

Here from Georgina Appeagyei – Pink Dynasty Mentee, 2015 Cohort

During my work experience placement at Standard Chartered I felt incredibly lucky, but, equally, deserving; a key feature of the Pink Dynasty programme.

My first week with Corporate and Institutional Clients (CIC), in the Public Sector and Developmental Organisations (PSDO) team, was action-packed. My internationally-diverse team invited me to an evening networking event, where I experienced the interaction between the London PSDO team, credit analysts and employees from risk. Their extended network within the bank, colleagues who they frequently rely on to ensure they can fulfil their clients’ needs, was strengthened; setting the basis for a better working partnership in the future. I accepted an invite to listen to the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Ghana, deliver a speech at Chatham House. As a British Ghanaian, it was a pleasure to witness the minister, Seth Terkper, seek investor’s confidence by shifting the focus from the over-reliance on tentative commodity prices to the strength of policy-making in controlling the economy in Ghana.

I was trusted with using the International Monetary Fund database to find data on particular countries of interest. I was also tasked to write a summary of trading capabilities and restrictions regarding Government Bonds from Thailand and Malaysia and was responsible for working with the wider PSDO global team to ascertain the relationship type of Central Banks and other Financial Institutions.

My second week proved the first week to be a great learning experience as I had already felt settled. I had the opportunity to meet my host for the first time as she is whisked away to various corners of the globe to handle business. I learned to prioritise my work, multitask and train myself to have good working hours. As my work experience drew to a close, I can only hope that the team will miss me as I leave behind something to improve their efficiencies: a Global PSDO Directory.

The Pink Dynasty programme is successful because we attract the strongest talent pool of women and empower our members to achieve their professional and personal goals. Follow us as we celebrate the successes of our rising stars.

Deborah Owolabi – Pink Dynasty Alumni, 2014 Cohort

Since graduating from Pink Dynasty, I have completed a gap year during which I worked at Standard Chartered Bank in the Group Country Risk and Group Technology and Operations departments. This valuable experience helped me to gain an internship at a charity that aims to help disadvantaged students from London’s inner city to gain employment in the financial services. I am now in the final year of my Arts and Sciences degree at University College London and feel much more equipped and confident about entering and excelling in the world of work than I did before taking part in the programme.

Five of the greatest lessons I learned through being a member of Pink Dynasty:

Five

Adopt the mentality of a sponge

You can learn something from everyone, including your peers

Hostility to learning from others, of whom you think have nothing of your interest to offer (or, pride) will get you nowhere

Learn to be an excellent student

Learn from those who do things well

Not to envy, but to imitate, with an understanding that you are still to be yourself

Four

A willing and real mentor is a terrible gift to waste

By real, I mean a mentor that does not sugar-coat the realities of the working world

To make conversations easier for themselves

My mentor, and this scheme as a whole, taught me:

The world of work will be challenging –

And any good job should be

You must learn to use past adversity to your advantage

It has the potential to help you more than you may currently see

Three

A wise person knows that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent

Though, when the time to speak comes, you should not remain silent because of the people you fear

In a professional or academic environment, the root of this is often the following thought:

“Compared to them, I am not good enough to be here”

In situations where you can expand your professional network

Do not go into the corner with close companions and take a seat

Speak to the other individuals present. Don’t be afraid – you can learn from them

Remember that they also breathe, sleep and eat

Two – A

Stop complaining

Two – B

Pink Dynasty not only developed me as an individual

Giving me the knowledge and skills I need to succeed in which ever career I pursue

The scheme also gave me the amazing opportunity to put what I have learned to use

But, as aforementioned, the opportunities you are given are not solely for you